Reversible floor mounted register



July 9, 1968 E. l.. sNELL REVERSIBLE FLOOR MUNTED REGISTER Filed July 18, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 TIG. Z

4 M m/ 7 z /f/ WL?. @[7152 M /M /u mnu V "YA Y mul @h /xu INVENTOR ELLWOOD L. SNELL ATTORNEY July 9, 1968 E. l.. sNELL 3,391,629

REVERSIBLE FLOOR MOUNTED REGISTER Filed July 18. 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ELLWOOD L. SNELL ATTORNEY INVENTOR United States Patent O 3,391,629 REVERSIBLE FLOOR MOUNTED REGISTER Ellwood L. Snell, Battle Creek, Mich., assigner to United States Register Company, Battle Creek, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Filed July 18, 1966, Ser. No. 565,901 13 Claims. (Cl. 98-103) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A floor mountable heating and air conditioning register for use in an air duct system which has a sidewise u extending floor engaging flange at opposite sides of its outlet face. A damper means is pivotally mounted at the inlet end of the register so that the damper means can be adjusted to either open or closed position. There are louvers located at opposite ends of the register and its outlet face. Means are provided for changing the position of the louvers to provide an air flow in a substantially unidirectional outward pattern for air conditioning use, or in a fan pattern with air flowing out between the louvers for the purpose of dissipating the air flow during heating use.

Background of the invention The present invention relates broadly to registers for air duct systems, and in its more specific forms to a new and improved oor register for incorporation in a duct type forced flow heating and/or air conditioning system.

Some modern hot air registers which are designed for mounting under a Window are provided with fixed louvers which spread the air flow sidewise to blanket the front of the window with a curtain of hot air, thus overcoming the effect of the cold air flowing down the face of the window, while at the same time providing improved and more uniform room heating than ordinarily would be the case. However, this type of air flow with its window blanketing effect is not the one which is considered best for use with air conditioning systems. Here it is desirable to avoid blanketing the face of the window with -cooled air since current work in this field indicates that the cooled air should be held together and delivered in the form of a substantially solid stream directly upward toward the ceiling where it can break up stratified hot air and provide a more uniform room cooling effect. In the past registers for air duct systems have almost universally been either of the air flow spreading type or the substantially nonspreading type and not of a type which can do either and thus meet the current requirements for both heating and air conditioning. It was a recognition of this problem and the lack of a successful commercial solution to same which led to the conception and development of the present invention, as well as another invention having a different solution, including a bottom edge pivoted front panel portion, and wherein I recently applied for a patent to protect same.

Accordingly, among the objects of the present invention is the provision of an improved register for air duct systems wherein such register is vadapted to be readily adjusted for use under either heating or air conditioning operation.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a register which is manually convertible from heating type to air conditioning type, and vice versa, without replacement of parts.

Another object is to provide a floor mountable combination heating `and air conditioning register for air flow ductwork systems where stabilized adjustable louvers are used at opposite ends of the outlet face of same so that the air How can be directed in a straight upward relaice tively solid stream, or in an upward and sidewise spreading blanketing stream.

Another object of this invention is to provide a floor mountable combination heating and air conditioning register having a removable and invertible grille member, which when one side up delivers the air flow in an upward relatively solid stream, and when inverted spreads the air flow in an upward and sidewise spreading pattern to produce a blanketing effect.

A further object is to provide a oor mountable combination heating and air conditioning register, wherein said register has on its front face a group of adjustable louvers at one end and a separate group of adjustable louvers at its other end, said louvers being pivotally mounted for ease of adjustment.

Still further objects and advantages of the invention will appear as the description proceeds.

Brief description of the drawings To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, the invention, then, consists of the air flow register means hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims, the annexed drawings and the following description setting forth in detail certain air ow register means for carrying out the invention, such disclosed means illustrating, however, but several of various ways in which the principle of the invention may be used.

In the annexed drawings:

FIGURE 1 shows a top view of one form of the present combination heating and air conditioning register.

FIGURE 2 is a longitudinal sectional View as taken along line II-II of FIGURE l, looking in the direction of the arrows.

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary sectional View similar to FIGURE 2 but with the removable grille inverted.

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary sectional view as taken along line IV--IV of FIGURE 3, looking in the direction of the arrows.

FIGURE 5 shows a top view of a modified form of the present combination heating and air conditioning register.

FIGURE 6 is a partially sectioned view as taken along line VI--VI of FIGURE 5, looking in the direction of the arrows.

FIGURE 7 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional View as taken along line VII-VII of FIGURE 5, looking in the direction of the arrows.

FIGURE 8 is a fragmentary sectional view as taken along line VIII-VIII of FIGURE 7, looking in the direction of the arrows.

FIGURE 9 is a fragmentary sectional View as taken along line IX-IX of FIG-URE 7, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Description of specific embodiments In the drawings which have been briefly described above, two forms of a register construction made in accordance with the present invention have been shown, and which forms have proven to be of advantage from the several standpoints of manufacture, installation, and use, and while the construction shown in these two forms of the invention will be rather specifically described for ease of understanding, it is to be understood that variations may be made within the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

Referring now to FIGURES l to 4, inclusive, it will be noted that the register assembly 10 has a top flange 11 which rests on floor 12 with the` register body 13 extending down through opening 14 in the floor, as seen more particularly in FIGURE 2. It should be noted at this point that an air duct boot 15 extends up adjacent the sides of opening 14 with the register body 13 fitting inside of this air duct boot 15, as diagrammatically shown. Mounted inside of said register body 13 is a Y removable grille member 16 which rests on supporting means such as side shoulders 17 of register body 13, as is more particularly shown in FIGURE 4.

Now referring more particularly to FIGURES 2 and 3, it will be noted that the grille member 16 is provided with end anchored louvers 18, 19 and 20. The center louvers 19 are preferably made straight as shown to permit the air flowing past Same to be guided in a direction substantially straight outward from the face of the register. Louvers 18 and 20, on the other hand, are of two directional shape and preferably are of substantially V-shape in cross section as shown. The two leg portions of the V-shaped cross-section louvers 18 and 20 are preferably approximately equal in length, with one leg portion being substantially perpendicular to one face of the grille member 16 and the other leg portion of the louvers 18 and 20 angling toward opposite ends of the grille member 16 or in other words the lower edge portion of each group will incline away from the lower edge portion of the other group, as shown. The preferred range of this angling would be between 40 and 50, from the register face with the preferred angle being 45.

With the grille member 16 in the position shown in FIGURE 2, the air passing through the register will be fanned outward as shown by the arrows so that, with this register set in the floor in front of a window and 4using hot air, the flowing air will blanket or substantially cover the front face of the window in accordance with modern heating practice. By inverting the grille member 16 so that it is in the position shown in FIGURE 3, it will be noted that the portions of the louvers 18 and 20 which are perpendicular to one face of the grille member 16 will be upward and act to direct the air iiow substantially vertically of the register assembly in accordance with the current ideas of delivering air-conditioned air directly up toward the ceiling in a body rather than fanned out into a sidewise pattern. While the louvers 18 and 20 have been shown to be of substantially identical shape, those near the center of the register could be a little straighter and gradually taper more and more sidewise as the end of the register is approached, and it is intended that the drawings be considered as diagrammatically showing this type of construction, as well as the iixed uniform size and shape louvers as illustrated.

Now referring to FIGURE 2 for a side view and FIG- URE l for a top view, it will be noted that inside of the register body 13 and adjacent the bottom thereof there are mounted a pair of dampers 21 and 22, with each of said dampers being supplied substantially at the midpoint of their ends with pivot arms 23 and 24 which pivotally fit suitable openings (not shown) in the ends of the register body 13. These dampers are of a size such that when they are turned to closed position they will substantially seal the register against flow of air therethrough and yet when they are at their midpoint and perpendicular to the bottom face of the grille member 16, they offer very little resistance to air flow through the register assembly 10. Each of the dampers 21 and 22, at least at one end thereof as shown in FIGURE 2, are provided with operational pivots 25 symmetrically located on each of the dampers. These pivots are connected by means of a link 26 so that the two dampers 21 and 22 will pivotally move in unison. A damper operator 27 is pivotally mounted on register body 13 substantially midway between dampers 21 and 22 by means of a pivot pin 28. The lower end of this damper operator 27 is preferably longitudinally slotted (not shown) and conventionally connected to the operational pivot 29l which is located substantially midlength of link 26.

Thus, as the damper operator 27, FIGURE l, is moved either forward or back, it will operate dampers 21 and 22 in conventional manner. It is also to be noted that by merely lifting out grille member 16 and inverting it the register assembly 10 can be used either for heating or air conditioning, depending upon which vway up the face of the grille member 16 is placed. In this connection, FIGURE 2 shows the position of the grille member 16 for heating use, and FIGURE 3 shows the grille member in the air conditioning position.

Now referring to the modified register assembly 18a as shown in FIGURES 5 to 9, inclusive, it will be noted that the register assembly has dampers 21 and 22 mounted and operated in identically the same manner as described above in connection with FIGURES l to 4, inclusive. The modied register is also provided with straight fixed louvers 19 in the central portion of the register. These louvers 19 have ears 30, FIGURE 6, which extend through openings 31 in the sides of register body 13 which corresponds with the mounting of these same louvers in the grille member 16 illustrated in FIGURES l, 2 and 3.

The louvers at the opposite ends of the register body 13 and which are denoted by the numerals 18a and 20a, instead of being fixed as shown in FIGURES 2 and 3, are adjustable in either direction by means of a suitable forked-end wrench 32, as shown in FIGURE 7. Since the louvers 18a and 20a are of like construction and operate in the same manner, only louvers 18a as shown in FIG- URE 7 will be described in order to avoid unnecessary duplication of description.

Louvers 18a, as shown in FIGURE 7, have end bearings or ears 33 which iit into suitable round hole bearing openings 34 in the sides of register body 13. These bearings or ears, it is to be noted, are at the very upper end of the louvers 18a so that one can walk on the top of the register in contact with the upper edge of these louvers without shifting them out of place so far as their angular setting is concerned. The lower end of these louvers 18a are provided with end bearings or ears 35 which pivotally fit into round hole bearing openings 36 in louver connecting link 37. It is thus to be seen that by use of wrench 32, all of the louvers 18a (or 20a) will be simultaneously moved to the pre-chosen adjusted position. In order to more firmly hold the louvers 18a in adjusted position, I prefer, as Shown in FIGURE 8, to fasten on louver connecting link 37 a spring-like stabilizing friction member 38 which will frictionally slide on the inner surface of the side of register body 13. The central portion of this stabilizing friction member 38 may be anchored, if desired, at its central point to louver connecting link 37 by a spot welding point 39.

While but two forms of the register invention have been shown and described, other forms will now be apparent to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the embodiments of the floor register shown in the drawings are merely for illustrative purposes, and are not intended to limit the spirit and scope of the invention as above described and illustrated. It is further to be noted that while directional terms have been used, same are not to be construed as a limitation of the invention since such use has been availed of to better describe the invention as illustrated in the drawings and in the normal position of use of the tioor register.

Other modes of applying the principle of my invention may be employed instead of those explained, change being made as regards the register and combinations herein disclosed, provided the means stated by any of the following claims or the equivalent of such stated means be employed.

I therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as my invention:

1. A lioor mountable heating and air conditioning register for use in air duct systems which comprises (a) a register body including an inlet end and an outlet end and having a sidewise extending iioor engaging liange at opposite sides of its outlet face,

(b) damper means at the inlet end of said register body,

(c) means for pivotally mounting said damper means on said register body so that said damper means can be moved either to an open or to a closed position,

(d) means substantially flush with the top of said register body for operating said damper means,

(e) a removable grille member comprising a frame having louvers xedly mounted within said frame to control air ow through said register, said grille member having a first face providing a substantially unidirectional outward tlow pattern position and a second face providing a fan ilow pattern position, and

(f) means removably supporting said grille member at said outlet end whereby said grille member may be positioned with either said rst face or said second face at said outlet end.

2. A door mountable heating and air conditioning register as set forth in claim 1, wherein the frame further includes (a) groups of louvers which are located at the ends of said grille member and are pivotally mounted.

3. A floor mountable heating and air conditioning reg ister as set forth in claim 2, wherein (a) said pivoted louvers are in two groups with one group at each end of said register, and further including (b) means pivotally connecting said louvers of each group for pivotal movement of each group of louvers in unison and independent of the other group.

4. A floor mountable heating and air conditioning register as set forth in claim 3, wherein (a) the supporting pivots of all of said pivoted louvers are at the ends of same and adjacent their upper edge which is substantially at the top of said register body.

5. A tioor mountable heating and air conditioning register as set forth in claim 4, wherein (a) there are means including an actuating member for shifting all of said pivoted louvers of each group simultaneously either to a heating position or to an air conditioning position, and

(b) means for stabilizing said louvers in the position to which they are shifted.

6. A oor mountable heating and air conditioning register as set forth in claim 2, wherein (a) tixed straight upwardly directed louvers are mounted between the adjacent ends of said pivotally mounted groups of louvers.

7. A oor mountable heating and air conditioning register as set forth in claim 3, wherein (a) said means pivotally connecting said pivoted louvers of each group is in the form of a link having substantially equally spaced pivots connected to pivots at the lower edge portion of the ends of said louvers.

8. A floor mountable heating and air conditioning register as set forth in claim 7, wherein (a) tiXed straight upwardly directed louvers are mounted between the adjacent ends of said pivotally mounted groups of louvers, and

(b) each group has means substantially stabilizing said pivoted louver groups against accidental shifting under normal conditions of use.

9. A floor mountable heating and air conditioning register as set forth in claim 1, wherein (a) said louvers at each end of said grille member are of two directional shape relative to the opposite faces of said grille member,

(b) said two directional louvers being in two groups with one at each end of said grille member,

(c) means for xedly anchoring said two directional shape louvers to said grille member, and

(d) wherein both of said groups of two directional louvers have one edge portion of each louver substantially perpendicular to the same face of said grille member, and the angling other edge portion of each group of said two directional louvers inclined toward the adjacent end of said grille member so that the angling lower edge portion of each group will incline away from the lower edge portion of the other group, lwhereby with the grille member mounted so that the perpendicular edge portion of the louvers is up, the upward flowing air will flow in a substantially straight path `while inverting the grille member will cause the air tlow to spread sidewise into a blanketing or fan pattern.

10. A floor mountable heating and air conditioning register as set forth in claim 1, wherein (a) said means removably supporting said grille member on said register body is in the form of inwardly extending support members on opposite sides of said register body.

11. A floor mountable heating and air conditioning register as set forth in claim 9, wherein (a) said means removably supporting said grille member on said register body is in the form of inwardly extending shoulders on opposite sides of said register body.

12. A floor mountable heating and air conditioning register as set forth in claim 1 wherein said grille member has a substantially rectangular frame with individual louvers at each end of said frame, said louvers having a first portion substantially perpendicular with respect to said first face and a second portion inclined with respect to said second face toward the corresponding end of said register.

13. A floor mountable heating and air conditioning register as set forth in claim 1 wherein said louvers in said removable frame include two inclined groups with one group at each end of said frame in fixed position to direct air ow in a substantially unidirectional outward pattern when said first face is up in said register body, and to direct air low in a fan pattern when said second face is up in said register body.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,725,353 8/1929 Hinrich 98-107 XR 2,034,231 3/1936 Fox 98-114 XR 2,057,494 10/1936 Leigh 98-101 XR 2,087,104 7/1937 Eisler 98-114 2,096,271 10/1937 Young 98-114 2,528,130 10/1950 Frisk et al. 98-101 XR 2,642,792 6/ 1953 Reichelderfer 98-110 XR 2,722,170 11/1955 Broberg 98--114 2,768,571 10/1956 Pearson 98-114 XR 3,190,209 6/1965 Goetz 98--114 XR 3,195,441 7/1965 Hedrick 98-40 2,195,411 4/ 1940 Germonprez 98-40 XR 2,560,802 7/1951 Lambert 98-40 XR FOREIGN PATENTS 839,853 5/ 1952 Germany.

OTHER REFERENCES Air Control, catalog 52 A.C., Air Control Products, Inc., pp. 17, 18 and 19 relied upon.

Independent Registers and Grilles for Forced Air, catalogue No. 35FA, Independent Register and Manufacturing Company, pp. 5 and 22 relied upon.

ROBERT A. OLEARY, Primary Examiner.

MEYER PERLIN, Examiner.

M. A. ANTONAKAS, Assistant Examiner. 

